Black Voicesmuhammad alirichard pryorBlack Voices

Richard Pryor's Recap Of His Match With Muhammad Ali Will Make You LOL

“Ali came out, he threw about eight punches, man. About a quarter inch from my nose. I said, ‘Shiiiiiiit.’"
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By 

Pop Culture Editor, HuffPost

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Richard Pryor appears scared to death as he is shown facing Muhammad Ali in a benefit fight at the Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, May 8, 1978.
AP

Richard Pryor’s past experience as an amateur boxer was useless when it came to facing Muhammad Ali.

During a December 1978 stand-up show, which was later released in 1979 as “Richard Pryor: Live in Concert,” the legendary comedian recalled his preparation for a benefit fight earlier that year at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles with the former heavyweight champ.

Despite Pryor expressing his enthusiasm for the fight, he was more concerned about Ali having a flashback to one of his legendary bouts with former rival Joe Frazier.

“Ali came out, he threw about eight punches, man. About a quarter inch from my nose. I said, ‘Shiiiiiiit.’ And I was happy to be in the in the ring with the champ, you know it was really nice. But my mind kept saying, ‘What happens if this ni**a has one of those Joe Frazier flashbacks?’ You know what I mean like, ‘Round 11, Joe Frazier. BOOM!’ It’ll give me brain damage for life.”

Judging from the below photo taken at the benefit event, which also included Marvin Gaye and Sammy Davis Jr., we can only imagine some of the other thoughts going through Pryor’s head.

Watch a clip of Richard Pryor’s memorable story at Live Leak.

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Before You Go

Unforgettable Images Of Muhammad Ali
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Cassius Clay at his hotel in London on 27 May 1963 holding up five fingers predicting how many rounds it will take to KO Henry Cooper. Photo: Len Trievnor/Express/Getty Images
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Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) or simply 'The Greatest' in his heyday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Boxing - Heavyweight Bout - Cassius Clay v Henry Cooper(03 of67)
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Cassius Clay celebrates his fifth round victory (credit:PA)
Cassius Clay Sparring(04 of67)
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Clowning Cassius Clay takes a right from sparring partner Jimmy Ellis of Kentucky during training at the White City drill hall for his world heavyweight title defence against Henry Cooper. (credit:PA)
Boxing - Muhammad Ali - London(05 of67)
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A fresh faced Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) walks through a London park the morning after defeating challenger Henry Cooper in the World Title bout at Arsenal's Highbury Stadium. The fight ended with a 6th round stoppage for Muhammad Ali. Two sleepy Londoners (on bench) seems to be anonymous to the presence of the Heavyweight Champion of the World. (credit:PA)
Boxing - World Heavyweight Title - Muhammad Ali v Henry Cooper - Ali Training(06 of67)
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World heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali warms up in the White City drill hall (credit:PA)
Boxing - Heavyweight Bout - Cassius Clay v Henry Cooper - Clay Training at White City(07 of67)
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Boxer Muhammad Ali during a training session at the Territorial Army Centre in White City, London, before his fight with British Heavyweight Champion Henry Cooper. (credit:PA)
Boxing - Muhammad Ali - London(08 of67)
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The scene is set for the fight of the century, the ring is ready, the crowds are there, all agog for the start of the world heavyweight championship between Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) and Henry Cooper at the Arsenal Stadium in Highbury. (credit:PA)
Boxing - World Heavyweight Title - Muhammad Ali v Henry Cooper - Highbury(09 of67)
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The great fists of American boxer Muhammad Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) are ready to do battle. Here he is seen in sparring attitude for his Heavyweight Championship of the World fight against Britain's Henry Cooper at Highbury Stadium, London. (credit:PA)
Boxing - Heavyweight - Cassius Clay v Henry Cooper(10 of67)
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Cassius Clay predicts he will beat World Champion Sonny Liston in eight rounds as he waits for his flight back to the USA after his fifth round victory over Henry Cooper (credit:PA)
Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay(11 of67)
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Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, in training pior to defending his world heavyweight championship title against Henry Cooper in London. 17/01/02: Ali celebrates his 60th birthday. (credit:PA)
Boxing - Heavyweight - Cassius Clay v Henry Cooper(12 of67)
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Cassius Clay (right) and Henry Cooper after their fight at Wembley, London. Clay won after stopping Cooper in the fifth round despite being floored by the British champion in the fourth. (credit:PA)
Boxing - World Heavyweight Title - Muhammad Ali v Henry Cooper - Weigh-in - Odeon, Leicester Square(13 of67)
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Great Britain's challenger Henry Cooper (l) shakes hands with defending World Champion Muhammad Ali (r) at the weigh-in before the fight. A bad cut to Henry Cooper's eye would hand Muhammad Ali a sixth-round win at Arsenal's Highbury Stadium. (credit:PA)
Ali Cooper reunion(14 of67)
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File photo dated 18/6/1963 of Cassius Clay, now Muhammad Ali, being knocked down by Henry Cooper during their fight at Wembley London. (credit:PA)
Cricket - Tour Match - Marylebone Cricket Club v West Indies - Lord's - Second Day(15 of67)
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World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali explains to the West Indies team how he would utilise a cricket bat and boots against his upcoming opponent Henry Cooper. (credit:PA)
Stuart Hall allegations(16 of67)
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File photo dated 29/04/84 of Muhammad Ali, former world heavyweight boxing champion (left) and Henry Cooper (right), former world title contender, with DJ Stuart Hall (c) in London on Stuart Hall's new Radio Two Summer Sounds Sports and Music show. (credit:PA)
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Cassius Clay (center) wins the Olympic light heavyweight boxing Gold medal in Rome on Sept. 5, 1960. (credit:Central Press/Getty Images)
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World heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali enjoys supper in a restaurant on Aug. 6, 1965. (credit:Terry Fincher/Express/Getty Images)
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Cassius Clay training during the 1960s. (credit:Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
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Cassius Clay in a one round non-title fight with 6-year-old Patrick Power on June 4, 1963. Young Patrick was taking boxing lessons at the time to combat bullying. (credit:Keystone/Getty Images)
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Cassius Clay fighting British contender Henry Cooper at Wembley on June 18, 1963. Clay predicted a win in five rounds, but didn't expect Cooper's devastating hammer blow in dying seconds of the fourth. (credit:Central Press/Getty Images)
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Cassius Clay reads about his boxing match in the papers during the 1960s. (credit:Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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American heavyweight boxer Cassius Clay with his brother Rudolph (later Rahman Ali) on June 21, 1963. (credit:Evening Standard/Getty Images)
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Cassius Clay with his wife on June 21, 1963. (credit:Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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British pop group The Beatles (Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison) with Cassius Clay at his training camp in Miami on Feb. 22, 1964. (credit:Keystone/Getty Images)
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A 22-year-old Cassius Clay becomes heavyweight champion. He beats Charles Sonny Liston by technical knockout during the seventh round. (credit:Keystone/Getty Images)
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Cassius Clay fighting World Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston in Miami Beach, Florida on Feb. 28, 1964. After this bout, Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali. (credit:Keystone/Getty Images)
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Sonny Liston lies out for the count after being KO'd in the first round of his return title fight by world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in Lewiston, Maine on May 25, 1965. (credit:Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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Muhammad Ali KO's Floyd Patterson in the 6th round on Nov. 25, 1965. The fight was stopped in the 12th. (credit:Allsport/Hulton Archive)
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Muhammad Ali and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan during Saviour's Day celebrations in Chicago, Illinois, Feb. 27, 1966. (credit:Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images)
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Muhammad Ali creates a media frenzy on May 9, 1966, during his stay in London for a rematch with Henry Cooper. Ali won in 6 rounds this time. (credit:B. Potter/Express/Getty Images)
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Muhammad Ali lands a right to the head of Brian London during their World Heavyweight title fight at Earls Court on Aug. 6, 1966. Ali won by a knockout in the third round. (credit:Allsport Hulton/Archive)
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Former Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown (center right) presides over a meeting of top African-American athletes on June 4, 1967, showing support for boxer Muhammad Ali's (center left) refusal to fight in Vietnam. (credit:Tony Tomsic/Getty Images)
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Boxing trainer Angelo Dundee helps Muhammad Ali with his bindings during a training session at Chris Dundee's 5th Street gym, Miami Beach on Feb. 26, 1971. (credit:Chris Smith/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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Muhammad Ali takes heavy hit from the gloves of Smokin' Joe Frazier on 8 March 1971 and eventually lost the gruelling bout on points. Photo: PA
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Muhammad Ali avenges a boken jaw and shock loss to Ken Norton in 1973, but admitted it was "a humbling experience". (credit:PA)
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Muhammad Ali takes a break in training to spend time with his son Muhammad Ali Jr. (aged 2 and a half) on April 15, 1975, in Miami. Ali has another son by adoption named Asaad. (credit:PA)
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Muhammad Ali raises his arms in victory as referee Zack Clayton counts out George Foreman in the 8th round of the epic 'Rumble in the Jungle' on Oct. 30, 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire in front of 60,000 spectators. (credit:AP)
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25,000 fans cram in to witness 14 brutal rounds dubbed 'Thrilla in Manilla,' featuring a victorious Muhammad Ali over Smokin' Joe Frazier at the Philippine Coliseum on Oct. 1, 1975 in their third encounter. (credit:PA)
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Muhammad Ali takes sweet revenge on Leon Spinks on Sept. 15, 1978, at the Superdome in New Orleans, in a rematch following a split decision loss against him six months earlier in Las Vegas. (credit:Dirk Halstead/Liaison)
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Muhammad Ali reads a comic book at press event on Jan. 31, 1978, in New York with promoter Don King and Herbert Muhammad (center), where he beats Superman in a fictional fight. (credit:Marty Lederhandler/AP)
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Muhammad Ali is pictured with daughters Laila (9 months) and Hanna (2 years 5 months) on Dec. 19, 1978 at Grosvenor House, following his retirement announcement in June. Ali has five other daughters named Rasheeda, Jamilla, Maryum, Miya and Khalilah. (credit:Frank Tewkesbury/Evening Standard/Getty Images)
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Muhammad Ali clowns around with Dorothy Meyer (left) who played the role of his mother in his "life story" movie and his real mother, Odessa Clay (right), on Oct. 1, 1980, just days before his title fight against Larry Holmes. (credit:Lennox McLendon/AP)
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Muhammad Ali comes out of retirement on Oct. 2, 1980, to fight new heavyweight champion Larry Holmes only be be devastatingly punished in the 9th & 10 rounds and KO'd in the 11th. (credit:Chris Smith/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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Trevor Berbick throws a punch at Muhammad Ali on Dec. 11, 1981 at Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Nassau, Bahamas. It was Ali's final professional fight. (credit:Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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Muhammad Ali carries the Olympic torch for a kilometer in Louisville on May 27, 1984. In the same year he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. (credit:T. Palmer/AP)
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Muhammad Ali watches as the flame rises to the Olympic torch during the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games on July 19, 1996 in Atlanta. (credit:Doug Mills/AP)
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Boxing legends past and present Lennox Lewis, Harry Carpenter and Muhammad Ali at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards on December 11, 1999. (credit:Craig Prentis/Allsport)
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Muhammad Ali accepts the BET Humanitarian Award on June 25, 2002, from Will Smith, who portrayed him the hit 'Ali' movie. (credit:M. Caulfield/WireImage)
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Laila Ali, daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali, following her win against Erin Toughill on June 11, 2005. (credit:Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)
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President George W. Bush awards boxing great Muhammad Ali the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award in the East Room of the White House on Nov. 9, 2005. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award and recognizes exceptional meritorious service. (credit:Lawrence Jackson/AP)
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Boxing great Muhammad Ali with his wife, Lonnie, waves to friends attending his 70th birthday celebration at the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville on Jan. 14, 2012. (credit:Mark Humphrey/AP)
Allstate Sugar Bowl - Louisville v Florida(53 of67)
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NFL analyst and former cardinal Tom Jackson and boxing legend Muhammad Ali represent the Louisville Cardinals for the coin toss prior to their game against the Florida Gators in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Jan. 2, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (credit:Bill Haber/Getty Images)
Allstate Sugar Bowl - Louisville v Florida(54 of67)
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Boxing legend Muhammad Ali and his wife, Lonnie Ali, ride a golf cart onto the field to represent the Louisville Cardinals for the coin toss against the Florida Gators prior to the start of the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Jan. 2, 2013, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (credit:Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Former boxing champion Muhammad Ali (L) (55 of67)
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Former boxing champion Muhammad Ali (L) attends the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27, 2012, at the Olympic Stadium in London. (credit:FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
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Former boxing champion Muhammad Ali (seated) attends the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27, 2012, at the Olympic Stadium in London. (credit:SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)
U.S. Olympic Committee Benefit Gala(57 of67)
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Former US Olympic boxer Muhammad Ali attends the U.S. Olympic Committee Benefit Gala at USA House at the Royal College of Art on July 26, 2012, in London. (credit:Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Sports For Peace - Fundraising Ball - Inside(58 of67)
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Muhammad Ali attends the Sports For Peace Fundraising Ball at The V&A on July 25, 2012, in London. (credit:Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
U.S. Olympic Committee Benefit Gala(59 of67)
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Former US Olympic boxer Muhammad Ali and sister-in-law Marilyn Williams (L) attend the U.S. Olympic Committee Benefit Gala at USA House at the Royal College of Art on July 26, 2012, in London. (credit:Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali listens to ac(60 of67)
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Boxing legend Muhammad Ali listens to actress Miley Cyrus on stage at the Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XVIII on March 24, 2012, in Phoenix, Arizona. The event supports the fight against Parkinson's disease and this year also celebrates Ali's 70th birthday. (credit:ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
Recording artist Kris Kristofferson (L)(61 of67)
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Recording artist Kris Kristofferson (L) greets boxing legend Muhammad Ali on stage at the Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XVIII on March 24, 2012, in Phoenix, Arizona. The event supports the fight against Parkinson's disease and this year also celebrates Ali's 70th birthday. (credit:ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball Tournament - Louisville v Michigan State(62 of67)
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PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 22: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali (R) and wife Lonnie Ali (L) sit in their seats at US Airways Center to watch the Louisville Cardinals take on the Michigan State Spartans during the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball West Regional Semifinal game at US Airways Center on March 22, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball Tournament - Louisville v Michigan State(63 of67)
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PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 22: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali (C) and wife Lonnie Ali (R) and guest (R) walk into US Airways Center to watch the Louisville Cardinals take on the Michigan State Spartans during the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball West Regional Semifinal game at US Airways Center on March 22, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Keep Memory Alive's 16th Annual "Power Of Love Gala" Celebrates Muhammad Ali's 70th Birthday - Inside(64 of67)
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LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 18: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (L-R) Lonnie Ali, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and recording artist Sean 'Diddy' Combs appear onstage during the Keep Memory Alive foundation's 'Power of Love Gala' celebrating Muhammad Ali's 70th birthday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena February 18, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event benefits the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Keep Memory Alive) (credit:Getty Images)
Keep Memory Alive's 16th Annual "Power Of Love Gala" Celebrates Muhammad Ali's 70th Birthday - Inside(65 of67)
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LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 18: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) (L-R) Lonnie Ali, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and recording artist Sean 'Diddy' Combs appear onstage during the Keep Memory Alive foundation's 'Power of Love Gala' celebrating Muhammad Ali's 70th birthday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena February 18, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event benefits the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Keep Memory Alive) (credit:Getty Images)
Keep Memory Alive's 16th Annual "Power Of Love Gala" Celebrates Muhammad Ali's 70th Birthday - Inside(66 of67)
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LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 18: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Boxing legend Muhammad Ali (L) and wife Lonnie Ali appear onstage during the Keep Memory Alive foundation's 'Power of Love Gala' celebrating Muhammad Ali's 70th birthday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena February 18, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event benefits the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Keep Memory Alive) (credit:Getty Images)
Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala - Arrivals(67 of67)
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 04: Muhammad Ali attends the Norman Mailer Center 4th Annual Benefit Gala on October 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Norman Mailer Center) (credit:Getty Images)
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